The undergraduate dental degree in Malaysia is regulated by the Malaysian Dental Council (MDC) (Standard of Undergraduate Competencies), Code of Professional Conduct of the Malaysian Dental Council, the Malaysian Qualification Framework 2.0 and the Malaysian Quality Agency (MQA) quality assurance documents. These primary documents emphasize the importance of professional ethics and law in dentistry as will be further detailed and discussed later. This study reflects on the need to integrate ethics, professionalism and law with sufficient coverage in terms of content and emphasis in the dental undergraduate curriculum. Literature and benchmarking practices are reviewed for a deeper reflection of the current needs in a professional dental ethics and law education course. The present study is primarily focused on regulatory requirements, legal cases and comparative literature to serve as a reference on how professional ethics and law courses may be conducted. As an incidental measure, a reflection as to how the course of study of professional ethics is delivered in a local university is considered in a selected local university’s undergraduate dental curriculum. The findings indicate that ethics professionalism and dental law is not given sufficient emphasis as it is included as one of the minor components within another overcrowded subject and the coverage of what is taught is limited in context. This paper is an invitation to all dental schools to review and reflect whether, given the emphasis on professional ethics, legal and regulatory compliance in the regulatory documents, it is adequately reflected in their dental curriculum. In this regard, some benchmarking references are done to suggest what such a course should cover, for consideration of the dental schools.
Ethics, Dental

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate students’ cheating behaviors, perceptions, and risk factors for cheating. METHODS: The author conducted a questionnaire survey of 375 undergraduate students at the Dankook University College of Dentistry in 2017. The questionnaires consisted of three parts: individual information, a moral sensitivity test, and cheating behaviors. Students rated whether they were involved in 28 cheating behaviors and their intolerant attitude for each behavior. Each student received a cheating grade of severity and diversity from 0 to 4 according to the degree of commitment in cheating behaviors. Chi-square and correlation tests were performed among cheating grades, individual factors, and moral sensitivity. RESULTS: Most students admitted having engaged in at least one cheating behavior (92.2%). School years, intolerant attitudes towards cheating, perceived prevalence, study time, and academic performance showed significant correlations with students’ cheating grades. CONCLUSION: These findings indicated that cheating behaviors were a very serious and prevalent problem at this dental college in South Korea. This is a critical issue that must be addressed. Dental school faculty members need to work together to develop policies, ethics curriculum and to improve students’ attitudes. It is also important to encourage students to learn and devote their time to study to reduce cheating behaviors.
Curriculum ; Dentistry ; Education, Dental ; Ethics ; Humans ; Korea ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Schools, Dental

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to provide basic data to establish a foundation for efficient operation of the organization by assessing the effects of self-efficacy and job stress (measured by self-efficacy, job demand, and job autonomy) on organizational commitment among clinical dental hygienists. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey study that used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data. After institutional review board approval, a survey was conducted from January to May 2017, targeting dental hygienists working in dental clinics and hospitals. The final 199 questionnaires were analyzed with PASW 18.0 for Windows (IBM Corp.). The data were analyzed using mean and/or standard deviation t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The means for self-efficacy, job demand, job autonomy, and organizational commitment were 55.94±9.65, 26.55±2.29, 20.24±3.88, and 49.49±8.39, respectively. Along with self-efficacy, the other factors of organizational commitment among dental hygienists that were statistically significant included job autonomy, mean salary (2,500~2,990 thousand Korean won [KRW] and ≥3,000 thousand KRW), and employee welfare (good), which are sub-areas of the surface acting. In other words, it was found that the higher the mean salary, the better the employee welfare, the higher self-efficacy, and the higher the organizational commitment, and the explanatory power of the model was approximately 42.1%. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the higher the self-efficacy, job autonomy, mean salary, and employee welfare, the higher the organizational commitment. In order to improve job demand among dental hygienists, it is necessary to establish an effective plan to improve job welfare, self-efficacy, and job autonomy.
Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dental Clinics ; Dental Hygienists ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Humans ; Salaries and Fringe Benefits

PURPOSE: This study explores the effects of a professionalism course based on problem-based learning (PBL) for 2nd year dental students on professional role concept and on ethical reasoning. It also investigates students' attitudes toward professionalism development program. METHODS: The experimental group (n=36) participated in the 5-week professionalism course, which uses PBL approach while the control group (n=89) did not receive the professionalism instruction during the same period. The professionalism development program was implemented via discussions among students in small-group tutorial. Four professors, who served as group facilitators participated in faculty seminars before every tutorial. After each tutorial, students had to write essays on the cases they discussed in their groups. Both groups completed Professional Role Orientation Inventory and Defining Issue Test (KDIT) prior to and post intervention period. The experimental group also responded to questionnaires about the value of professionalism program. RESULTS: Analysis of covariance indicated that the experimental group's responsibility score significantly improved (F=32.552, p<0.001) while their perception of agency decreased (F=29.510, p<0.001). The program had little influence on ethical reasoning measured by DIT. Twenty-eight students (78%) responded that they learned the value of other opinions. Seventy percent of the students responded that the course is worthwhile or very worthwhile. CONCLUSION: The result reveals that students' professional role concept is associated with the learning experience in professionalism program based on PBL. Opportunities to think of professionalism in clinical situations improved students' sense of responsibility as dentist.
Dentists ; Education, Dental ; Ethics, Dental ; Humans ; Learning ; Orientation ; Problem-Based Learning ; Professional Competence ; Professional Role ; Students, Dental ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed at assessing the quality of dental services, as perceived by the disabled, and analyzing the factors identified to be of both high importance and low performance, as identified by IPA. METHODS: The data were collected from June 8 to November 2, 2016, after approval by the institutional review board. Questionnaires were distributed to 1466 disabled dental service consumers, of which 349 cases were included. The data were analyzed by frequency analysis, multi-regression analysis for implicit importance, and IPA matrix for marketing strategy. RESULTS: The performance results revealed that cost level, reduction of the fee, and waiting time for treatments were the sources of greatest dissatisfaction. The IPA matrix results categorized the next appointment, explanation of the fee, waiting time for treatment, professionalism of the staff, and convenient facilities as high-importance, low-performance factors. Meanwhile, the results of the IPA matrix for consumer segmentation, according to recently used dental institutions were different. The dental clinic users evaluated professionalism of the staff, convenience of the facility, explanation of the fee, and cost level as high-importance, low-performance attributes. The dental hospital users indicated that waiting time for treatment and next appointment were high-importance, low-performance attributes. Finally, the public health center users indicated that convenience of booking, waiting time for treatment, convenience of facilities, reduction of the fee, and next appointment as high-importance, low-performance attributes. CONCLUSIONS: To improve the quality of dental service, we need to understand the needs of the dental patients with disability. All attributes that were categorized as high-importance, low-performance must be improved first and should accordingly be used as strategic factors to increase satisfaction with oral medical institutions.
Dental Clinics ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Fees and Charges ; Humans ; Marketing ; Professionalism ; Public Health

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 2.9% hydrogen peroxide (HP) whitening strip with a desensitizing agent as a primer. METHODS: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kyungpook National University Hospital. A total of 144 subjects (mean age: 21.7 years) were recruited after they provided informed consent for participation in the study. All participants used the whitening strip and primer for 1.5 h a day for 14 days. ShadeEye-NCC and Vita classical shade guide were used to determine the color changes, with respect to baseline, after 1, 3, 5, 7, and 14 days. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on satisfaction after bleaching and irritating symptoms during the 14 days. All collected data were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA and one-way ANOVA using SPSS 20.0 for windows. RESULTS: Brightness (ΔL*) was significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 than in the control group after 3 days of the experiment. Chroma (Δb*) started to decrease in groups 2 and 3, compared to control, after 1 day. Perceived symptoms of irritation were significantly lower in groups using the strip combined with the desensitizing primer than in the control group. Satisfaction after bleaching was higher in the experimental groups than in control. CONCLUSIONS: The HP whitening strip with a desensitizing agent as a primer is clinically effective in bleaching human enamel after 3 days of use. It also reduces the prevalence of gingival irritation.
Dental Enamel ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Informed Consent ; Prevalence ; Tooth*

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at seeking an effective method of improving job satisfaction and practice performance of clinical dental hygienists by analyzing their job satisfaction factors. METHODS: Questionnaires were distributed to 210 clinical dental hygienists working at dental institutions in Busan, Gyeongnam, and Gyeongbuk, from the 25th of July through to the 30th of August, 2015, after receiving approval of the Institutional Review Board. The following conclusions were derived as a result of analyzing a total of 198 of the 210 questionnaires, 12 of which were excluded due to non-response or suspicious authenticity. RESULTS: Analysis of the job satisfaction according to the participants' general characteristics revealed significant differences in terms of marital status (P<0.001), age (P<0.001), education (P=0.002), income (P<0.001), and total work experience (P<0.001). Further, groups showing high scores on the internal marketing system, structural factors, communication system factors, and compensation factors had higher job satisfaction (P<0.01). Analysis of oral health education, a factor in the job satisfaction related to practice performance, was carried out by the high group. This led to high satisfaction with professional pride (P<0.01) and patient relationships (P<0.01). Preventive treatment, another factor in job satisfaction related to practice performance, led to high satisfaction with colleague relationships (P<0.05). The job satisfaction for medical cure cooperation tasks showed no significant differences. Administration and management tasks for high groups led to higher satisfaction with professional pride, ability to work, work environment, compensation, and patient relationships (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results show the need for an expansion in oral health education and preventive treatment tasks in order to ensure greater job satisfaction in dental hygienists. Additionally, the development of internal marketing systems within dental care institutions is necessary to further enhance and promote a sense of accomplishment at work.
Busan* ; Compensation and Redress ; Dental Care ; Dental Clinics* ; Dental Hygienists* ; Education ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Gyeongsangbuk-do* ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction* ; Marital Status ; Marketing ; Methods ; Oral Health

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess recognition of smoking cessation education among dental hygienists and knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to smoking cessation counseling as well as to obtain basic data on smoking cessation counseling for effective oral care in dental offices. METHODS: After approval was obtained from the institutional review board, this study was carried out dental hygienists working in dental hospitals and clinics in Busan City, Gyeongnam and Gyeongbuk province, Korea. The final analysis captured information from 300 participants. Data were analyzed with SPSS 21.0. RESULTS: Of the 300 participants, 94.0% agreed that smoking cessation education is necessary, 17.5% reported smoking cessation education experience, and 65.7% reported intention to participate in smoking cessation education in the future. Dental hygienists' smoking cessation counseling activities showed a significant correlation between attitudes and practices (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Counseling for smoking cessation provided by dental hygienists was positively correlated with the presence of smoking cessation knowledge and with the intention of participating in smoking cessation education. For dental hygienists to effectively counsel patients regarding smoking cessation, it is essential to integrate smoking cessation education into the dental school curriculum and to offer continuing education post-graduation.
Busan ; Counseling* ; Curriculum ; Dental Hygienists* ; Dental Offices ; Education ; Education, Continuing ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Gyeongsangbuk-do ; Humans ; Intention ; Korea ; Schools, Dental ; Smoking Cessation*

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bleaching effect of chewing gum containing amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), hydroxyapatite (HA), and tricalcium pyrophosphate (TSP) on human enamel. METHODS: Seventy-three subjects aged 20-30 years were recruited after obtaining their informed consent and approval of the Institutional Review Board. All subjects were randomly assigned to the following four groups: (I) negative control group; (II) 50% gum group; (III) 100% gum group; and (IV) positive control group (10% carbamide peroxide). They received gum containing ACP, HA, and TSP, three times a day, for 4 weeks. Group IV also received 10% CP application using individual trays, once a day, for 2 weeks. Color change was measured using the Shade Eye-NCC colorimeter at weekly intervals, during the 4-week period. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: Color changes (DeltaE*) were significantly different among the groups at 2 and 4 weeks after chewing the gum (P<0.05). Given that bleaching effect of Group IV was 100%, bleaching effects of Group III, Group II, and Group I were 54%, 46%, and 36%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Chewing gum containing ACP, HA, and TSP was effective enough to bleach the human enamel. Further comprehensive studies and assessment will be required to ascertain the bleaching effects and mechanism of chewing gum containing various components such as ACP, HA, and TSP using various methods of experiment and analysis.
Aged ; Calcium ; Calcium Phosphates ; Chewing Gum ; Dental Enamel ; Diphosphates ; Durapatite ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Gingiva ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Mastication ; Urea

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure the efficacy of different tooth-brushing methods for removing plaque in Korea. METHODS: This study was conducted with the approval of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of the Seoul National University School of Dentistry (S-D20180021). Thirty participants aged between 19 and 30 years, who did not have periodontal disease, were enrolled in this observational study. Participants were given the same type of toothbrush and toothpaste and asked to brush their teeth as they usually would. During brushing, participants were recorded with a camcorder that was attached to a mirror. Participants were aware they were being recorded. After they had finished brushing their teeth, a dental plaque staining and oral plaque index (PI) examination was performed. The PI score was measured using the Turesky modified Quigley Hein Index. Brushing methods were classified as rolling, horizontal, vertical, circling, and oblique. Skipped surfaces were recorded separately. Following this, statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. RESULTS: Most surfaces of the mouth were skipped. The most commonly used brushing method was the circling method, followed by the vertical, horizontal, rolling, and oblique methods. The most frequently used method on the vestibular surface was circling, with 52.92% of the oral surface skipped. The oblique brushing method had the lowest mean PI score with a mean±SD of 1.73±0.82. The mean PI score of the skipped surfaces was the highest with a mean±SD of 2.52±0.81. We also analyzed the linear mixed model considering the different lengths of time spent brushing. Both the brushing method used and the time spent brushing had a significant effect on the PI score, but no interactions between these were observed. In areas where a horizontal brushing method had been used, the PI score was significantly decreased. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the horizontal brushing method is an efficient tooth-brushing method compared to the other methods. Additionally, tooth-brushing for more than 10 seconds on 3 to 4 teeth area was effective in removing dental biofilm.
Biofilms ; Dental Plaque Index ; Dental Plaque ; Dentistry ; Ethics Committees, Research ; Humans ; Korea ; Methods ; Mouth ; Observational Study ; Oral Hygiene ; Periodontal Diseases ; Seoul ; Tooth ; Toothpastes ; Video Recording